Wednesday 27 November 2019 - A first of its kind multisensory centre is opening on the Kāpiti Coast next year, servicing
what is being described as a high demand service for the whole of Wellington.
Kāpiti Neuro Centre will host an open day for the public on the 18th of January, and be taking bookings from the 20th of
January, providing therapeutic alternatives to improve emotional, physical and mental well-being.
Providing therapies across art, multi-sensory, motor-development, and movement, as well as providing play centred
learning, colour meditation, art and multi-sensory courses; Kapiti Neuro Therapy will service children, teenagers and
adults with anxiety, depression, epilepsy, asperger’s, autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, sensory
disorder, separation anxiety, developmental delays, as well as helping patients recover from brain injuries, strokes,
shock, trauma, stress, burnouts and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Founder and Owner Corinne Allan, who opened Kāpiti Art Therapy in 2017, has been working with local colleges, schools
and individuals as an art therapist on the Kāpiti Coast and says most of her clients come from referrals or from other
health providers as parents battle with long waiting lists to receive medical treatment.
“In the current system parents are facing a long waiting lists, and can often not access any therapy for their children,
teenagers or themselves, even if they are willing to pay privately. I was inspired by the Multi Sensory Room in
Christchurch, funded by the council, it has had a huge positive impact of helping young children deal with grief,
separation anxiety and overcoming childhood trauma. In Australia and Europe Art Therapy is very well established and
accepted and most schools have an art therapist to help children with emotional stress. I would like to see similar
recognition and accessibility to these treatments in NZ,” says Corinne Allan.
With wait times reported up to 161 days and currently only 3% of special needs children receiving financial support, in
November 2018 Early Childhood Intervention Service at Wellington Hospital had 2680 children on the waiting list, the
longest waiting list in the country.
Corinne and her team are advocates for Neuro Therapy as an effective non-medical therapy option to ensure a positive
future after patient diagnosis. In addition to Art Therapy studies, over the last five years, Corinne has studied
Neurographics, Neuro-feedback and Neuro Linguistic Programming and is a ANZACATA (Australian, New Zealand and Asian
Creative Arts Therapies Association) approved Art Therapist.
“I am passionate about changing attitudes and improving the support available for neurodiversity. I want to help people
overcome their traumas and their challenges in order to be the best version of themselves. Each therapy session is
individually tailored to the individual needs of our clients, parents can choose combination packages between art
therapy and Mulit-Sensory room therapy forms.”
“As individuals we have a huge potential to make new neuro pathways and positively improve our neuroplasticity. Every
time we repeat a thought or emotion, we reinforce our neural pathways, and with each new thought, we start to create a
new way of being. These small changes, frequently enough repeated, lead to changes in how our brains work,” says Corinne
Allan.
Art Therapy is now funded through ACC in New Zealand. Kāpiti Neuro Therapy will hold an open day on Saturday 18 January
2020 from 11am at 8 Ruru Street in Waikanae, Kapiti, Wellington, 5036
Website: www.neurotherapy.nz
ENDS